Exhilaration.

I ran last night (and the night before -- shhhh! I felt better and I just did three very slow miles).

I was kind of impatient -- my kids were being Pokey van Pokesters finishing their supper -- but finally they were done and I threw on my running clothes and headed out.

It was very freeing. Four miles, the weather was perfect and all my good music played on my iPod. What else could a girl ask for?

The last time I ran (before Monday night) was Thursday, Dec. 30. Russ was home with the kids so I took the opportunity to go to the hike and bike trail. I ran seven miles.

It was rough. I struggled. I did it and my time was OK, but I wasn't very happy for the majority of the run.

Maybe it was because I was already starting to get sick. Maybe I was getting bored with running.

Whatever it was, the three-day hiatus forced upon me by strep actually turned out to be a good thing, I think!

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I do not recommend the Strep Diet as a way to lose weight. It's effective, but VERY painful.

The last meal I really ate was Katie's birthday lunch on Friday. I may have picked at some things here and there on Saturday and Sunday (I seem to recall eating some hummus one night?), but I didn't really eat until Monday at lunch.

So I'm a few pounds below 130 right now.

I'm still trying to decide if I'm OK with that, if my body is OK with that.